Reading Girls Tennis Rockets reach North Final Four

Sunday

Jun 15, 2014 at 6:33 AM

By Stephen MartellucciCorrespondent

It was another successful season for the Reading Memorial High School girls tennis team (13-6, fifth seed) that didnít end until the Division 2 North semifinal round, when perennial power and league rival Winchester (19-1, top seed) eliminated them, 4-1 at the Winchester Swim & Tennis Club June 3.The Sachems went on to lose to Concord-Carlisle in the North final, 3-2 three days later.First singles player Kathryn Schaeffer lost in three sets to Winchesterís Olivia Davis, 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. Junior Meghan Ziegler lost to Sarah Lee, 6-1, 6-2 in second singles.Freshman Jacquelyn Iannuzzo recorded the lone Reading win in third singles, beating Nina Tchirkova, 6-1, 6-1.In doubles action, the first team of junior Stephanie Cohen and senior co-captain Mariella Waddington fell to Janie Weber and Lena Pfeifenberger, 6-3, 6-1.Winchesterís Amanda Saich and Izzy Bruno took care Kate Mignosa and Ruthie Wilson in second doubles, 6-2, 6-1."We didnít play our strongest tennis, but we put up a good fight," said head coach Roberta DiPiero, who just completed her 14th year as the Reading mentor. "They just played a little better than we did."On May 31, the Rockets edged Belmont, 3-2 on the road in the North quarterfinals.In first singles, Schaeffer lost to Annie Hang, 6-4, 6-3. Ziegler dropped a 6-1, 6-1 decision to Amanda Jung in second singles.But Iannuzzo turned it around with a win over Grace Jones in third singles, 6-2, 6-3.Both doubles teams then continued the positive momentum. Cohen and Waddington defeated Hayley Sawyer and Sarah Paolillo, 6-1, 6-2. Mignosa and Wilson took care of Alexa Feneletti and Amy Zhang, 6-2, 7-5."The doubles teams really came through for us," said DiPiero. "When we played them in the regular season, we split with them, not to mention each match ended up 3-2. Both teams are pretty even."Belmont, seeded fifth, finished up at 12-6.In the first round, the Rockets shutout visiting Beverly, 5-0 May 30.Schaeffer, a Middlesex League All-Star, blanked Katherine Beekah, 6-0, 6-0, in first singles. Ziegler upended Sophie Glass, 6-1, 6-1 in second singles. Iannuzzo defeated Rachel Tremblay in third singles, 6-0, 6-2.In doubles action, the first team of Cohen and Waddington, both league All-Stars after compiling a 17-4 record, beat Michelle Moon and Caroline Joseph, 6-0, 6-2. Mignosa and senior co-captain Hannah Loughlin teamed up to beat Carli Blau and Danielle Tetrault in second doubles, 6-0, 6-0.The Rockets went 11-5 in the regular season to finish third in the Middlesex League Liberty Division behind Winchester and Lexington.Next year, everybodyís back, including five starters, save for the two senior captains. It promises to be another winning season thatís destined for the state tournament.